Brush assembly



Aug. 14, 1945. R. M. NARDONE BRUSH ASSEMBLY Original Filed Dec. 17, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l mu 0 mm a @Q NQ 2 SW 8 o 0 Wm mm, r mm Q O O wm mu 0 mm. M mm. o 5 6 lififlfil' Fflflflil'if'iiifllWflflfl I v I I g- 1 1945- R. M. NARDONE 2,381,982

BRUSH ASSEMBLY Original Filed Dec. 17, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UNITED STATE Patented Aug. 14, 1945 BRUSH ASSEMBLY Original application December 17, 1941, Serial No.

S PATENT OFFICE 423,375, now Patent No. 2,332,163, dated October 19, 1943. Divided and this application May 5, 1943, Serial No. 485,771

11 Claims.

This invention relates to brush assemblies, and particularly to a type utilized in conjunction with the portable portion of an engine starting mechanism.

An object of the invention is to provide, in a motor.

pended claims for this purpose.

In the drawings:

the invention;

assembly;

tions;

shown in Fig. 2;

solenoids shown in outline in Fig. 2.

ent, just referred to.

ably carried on the "spider" 31, and said spider has a hub 36 keyed to a centrally disposed shaft 38 which is rotatable relatively to the shaft 26-32, and terminates in a threaded socket which receives the correspondingly threaded end portable starter unit of the motor-driven type, of Coupling Shaft 38' Q 0 P Shaft novel means for securing, at the output end of 36' h a an rs pin f r lvme n em n the unit a speed in excess of that r the drivi with the end socket (not shown) which projects exteriorly of the outer surface of the aircraft Another object is to provide, in an inertia type it or other c end serves to hrsnsmlt the dmve of portable starter, novel means for controlling t0 the e fl 0f the Starting mechanismthe acceleration of, and subsequent discharge of Surroundms shaft 8 i a sleeve 6 that is keyed energy from, the inertia element. to the hub of flywheel it; 58.16; sleeve 4c having A further object of the present invention is to teeth M whlch mnstitute the gear of the provide a brush assembly of a novel construction 16 Planetary System of which Planetary SYStem the which permits the foregoing and other objects gear elements 33 and 34 hereinafter made apparent to be readily achieved. These gear elements and Y be menu These and other objects of the invention will 2 i stmctflre and mode of opemmon to the become apparent from inspection of the iollowslmllal'ly deslgnated elements 34 and n of mg specification when read with reference to the 20 my Patent 3 above mi accompanying drawings wherein is illustrated as Shown seal: 33 is m two Parts 71th rubber the preferred embodiment of the invention. It is mateljial mterpcsed therebetween' as m to be expressly understood, however, that the Waselge Patent 9 drawings are f the purpose f illustration only Secured to the housing is a stationary element and are not designed as a definition of the limits m in the form, 0f an anfmlar Plate wlth praise?" of the invention, reference being had to the apmg ledges Whlch constltute' m effect inner races of overrunnlng clutch assemblies whose rollers are shown at H and t8. Rollers H ongage spider 31, and rollers l8 engage an outer Fig. 1 15 a sectional view of a device embodying race as constituting an integral part of flywheel t l. Rollers l1 function in the same manner as 2 is an end mew of the brush actuating pawls 52 of my Patent No. 2,316,121, issued April F1 3 f m 1 1 6, 1943, and rollers l8 function in the same man- 15 lagmm 0 e 8 86 comm nor as pawls 51 of my said patent. To achieve r such functioning, the cage 31 and the flywheel 4 1s larger mew of certam of the parts 3a member 58 are provided with conventional means-ccrresponding in their action to the bent 5 is VIEW at fight angles to 4; and springs 23 of Patent No. 1,997,370, granted to s- 6 is e sectional View of one of the two n. J. LeVesconte on April 9, 1935to cause the rollers l1 and I8, respectively, to grip the respec- In Fig. 1 the motor l3 (W th Series e Wind-v tive adjacent flat sides of the respective ledges ings to) is shown as drivably associated with the which project from either side of stationary inertia element M by means of driving conneomember H (see Fig. 4 of my Patent No. 2,316,- tions 26 and 32 to a gear train of the planetary 122) when urged in one rotational direction, type, including an annulus gear 33 and a planet while permitting free rolling action when the carrier, or "spider," 31 which is held against rorollers are urged in the opposite rotational directation during operation of the motor in one dition. Thus rotation of cage 31 will be possible rection, as in my Patent No. 2,316,122, issued in one direction only, and the same will be true April 6, 1943. It is to be understood that eleof flywheel M. Hence the operationis as follows: ments 26, 32, and 33 (Fig. 1) are integrated with During flywheel acceleration, planetary spider each other in any suitable manner, as are the 3'! is held stationary (by engagement of rollers corresponding elements 26; 32, and 33 of my pat- I! with member 4| and therefore shaft 38 does not'rotate; but after proper flywheel speed is Likewise, as in my patent, annulus gear 33 achieved and the motor rotation is reversed (by meshes with a planetary idler pinion 34 rotatoperation of switch 50, to be described) the resulting reaction causes spider I! to rotate (the rollers l1 overrunning) and spider I] in turn causes shaft 88 and all parts driven thereby to rotate.

A two-way snap action switch 50 is incorpo rated in the motor grip and it is operated by push button II. This switch is connected up to the battery cable 52 and also to the two solenoids 53 and 88 (see Fig. 3) which act upon the brush risging. Each solenoid operates to move two brushes (58, 58 or 81, 88) into contact with commutator 88. The brush holders 8i, 8! and 83, 84 (of Bakelite or equivalent) are hinged on pins 85 and 88, (see Figs. 4 and 5), pressed into an aluminum casting 81. The torsion springs 88, 88 act upon these brush holders to normally hold the brushes (-58, 58; 81, 88) a slight distance away from the surface of the commutator 88, but upon energization of one or the two solenoids-say, l8-its plunger 9| (Fig. 8) moves pin 92 and plate 88 outwardly to swing brush holders 8| and 82 toward the commutator, thus engaging brushes 88 and I8, and sending current through the armature to rotate it in the predetermined direction. For opposite rotation, solenoid i4 is energized, whereupon brushes 8! and 68 engage the commutator and send current through the armature in the opposite direction. 01' course, the solenoid 88 is de-energized before the solenoid 54 is energized; both solenoids being under the control of the single control switch 50. (See Fig. 3.) Hair-pin shaped flexible leads 68 to 88 connect the positive and negative lead terminals with the brushes 58 to 58, respectively.

In operation, output shaft 38 is connected up to the starter drive shaft in the airplane and the proper solenoid is energized by the pushing of button 8| forward, that is, toward the left. Current now flows through the armature and held windings in series, to rotate the motor in the flywheel accelerating direction. During this period, spider 31 remains stationary as does also output shaft 88 which is splined to it. After the flywheel has been brought up to normal speed, (say, 30,000 E. P. M.) button Si is released and then pushed toward the right to reverse the setting of switch 58, and thereby cause the motor to reverse its direction of rotation. As soon as the motor speed starts to decrease, output shaft 38 starts to rotate and drive the engagedparts (not shown) on the aircraft. The flywheel speed plus the motor speed add up to increase the rotational speed of output shaft 38 beyond that of the motor alone. Thus is produced a cranking action which is rotationally faster than could be produced by use of a direct-connected motor, or a geared-down motor, as in the prior art. After the energy stored in the flywheel has been completely expended, the cranking may nevertheless be continued (if the engine has not started in the meantime) by reason of the direct drivin relationship that exists all the way from the motor shaft 28 to cranking shaft 38'. This direct drive may be maintained indefinitely, so long as the circuit to the motor remains closed at the switch 58. I

When starting of the engine has been achieved, the switch 50 is returned to the middle (off) position.

This application is a division of my copending application No. 423,375, filed December 1'7, 1941, now Patent No. 2,332,163, dated October 19, 1943.

What is claimed is: 1. In a brush assembly, a plurality of circumspaced brushes having adjacent brushes arranged in paired relation for selective commutator engagement of the pairs, the brushes of each pair when electrically energized being of opposed polarities and electrically connected to the brushes of coincident polarities of the other pair respec tively, and means connected to the pairs and operable for effecting said engagement selectively and thus permit either one of said pairs to be rendered effective and the remaining pair inefiective coincidentally upon said engagement by one of said pairs.

2. In a brush assembly, a plurality of circumspaced brushes having adjacent brushes arranged in paired relation for selective commutator engagement of the pairs, the brushes or each pair when electrically energized being of opposed polarities and electrically connected to the brushes of coincident polarities of the other pair respec tively, and means including electromagnetic means connected to the pairs and operable for effecting said engagement selectively and thus permit either one or said pairs to be rendered eflective and the remaining pair ineffective coincidentally upon said engagement by one of said pairs.

3. In combination with a motor commutator. a plurality of brushes having circumierentially adjacent brushes arranged about the commutator in paired relation for selective engagement with the commutator, the brushes of each pair when electrically energized being of opposed polarities and electrically connected to the brushes of coincident polarities of the other pair respectively, and means connected to the pairs and operable for effecting said engagement selectively to permit either one of said pairs to be rendered effective and the remaining pair ineffective coincidentally upon said engagement by said one of said pairs.

4. In combination with a motor commutator, a plurality of brushes having circumferentially adjacent brushes arranged about said commutator in paired relation for selective engagement with the commutator, the brushes of each pair when electrically energized being of opposed. polarities and electrically connected to the brushes of coincident polarities of the other pair respectively, and means including electromagnetic means connected to the pairs and operable for effecting said engagement selectively to permit either one of said pairs to be rendered eifective and the remaining. pair ineilective coincidentally upon said engagement by said one of said pairs.

5. In a brush assembly, a plurality of circumspaced brushes having adjacent brushes arranged in paired relation for selective commutator engagement. of the pairs, the brushes of each pair when electrically energized being of opposed polarities and electrically connected to the brushes of coincident polarities of the other pair respectively, a brush holder secured to each of said brushes and with the holders of each of said pairs being pivoted together for movement in unison, electromagnetic means engageable with said holders for operating the holders of either one of said pairs into brush commutator engaging position upon energization of said electromagnetic means, and spring means connected to said holders and coacting with said electromagnetic means for maintaining the remaining pair of brushes out of commutator engagement.

6. In combination with a commutator, a plurality of brushes disposed about said commutator andhaving circumferential adjacent brushes arranged in paired relation for selective engagement with said commutator, the brushes of each pair being or opposed polarities and electrically connected to the brushes of coincident polarities oi the other pair respectively, a brush holder secured to each 01' said brushes and with the holders of each of said pairs being pivoted together for movement in unison, electromagnetic means engageable 'with said holders for operating the holders of either one of said pairs into commutator engaging position upon energization of said electromagnetic means, and spring means connected to said holders and coacting with said electromagnetic means for maintaining the remaining pair out of en a ement with the commutator and for maintaining all of said brushes out of engagement with the commutator upon dcenergization of said electromagnetic means.

'1. In a brush assembly, a plurality oi circumspaced brushes having adjacent brushes arranged in paired relation for selective commutator engagement, the brushes of each pair being cpposed polarities and electrically connected to the brushes of coincident polarities of the other pair respectively, a brush holder secured to each of said brushes and with the holders of each of said pairs being pivoted together for movement in unison, electromagnetic means engageable withsaid holders for operating the holders of either one oi. said pairs into commutator engaging position upon energization 01' said electromagnetic means, and spring means connected to said holders and coacting with said electromagnetic means for maintaining the remaining pair out of said position and for maintaining all of said brushes out of said position upon deenergization of said electromagnetic means.

8. Current supply means for an electric motor comprising, in combination with a motor commutator, sets 01 brushes circumferentially disposed about and 'engageable with said commutator, the brushes of each set being arranged in successive order and of different polarities, a positive lead terminal, a negative lead terminal, means connecting each terminal with one brush or each set oi brushes, means for pivotally mounting each set of brushes for movement about diametrically opposed pivot pins, electromagnetic means individual to each set of brushes for swinging said brushes about said pins, in one direction, and resilient means coiled about said pins to swing the brushes inthe opposite direction.

9. Current supply means for an electric motor comprising, in combination with a motor commutator, sets of brushes circumierentially disposed about and engageable with said commutator, the brushes of each set being arranged in successive order and of diflerent polarities, a positive lead terminal hired in a position midway between said brush-sets, a negative lead terminal fixed in a position diametrically opposite to the first terminal, means connecting each terminal with one brush of each set of brushes, means for pivotally mounting each set of brushes for movement about diametrically opposed pivot pins, electromagnetic means individual to each set ofbrushes for swinging said brushes about said pins, in one direction, and resilient means coiled about said pins to swing the brushes in the opposite direction 10. Current supply means for an electric motor comprising, in combination with a motor commutator, sets of brushes circumferentially disposed about and engageable with said commutator, the brushes of each set being arranged in successive order and of diilerent polarities, a positive lead terminal, a negative lead terminal, hair-pin shaped flexible leads connecting each terminal with one brush of each set of brushes, means for swing the brushes in pivotally mounting each set of brushes for movement about diametrically opposed pivot pins,

electromagnetic means individual to each set of brushes for swinging said brushes about said pins, in one direction, and resilient means coiled about said pins to swing the brushes in the opposite direction.

11. Current supply means for an electric motor comprising, in combination with a motor commutator, sets of brushes circumferentially disposed about and engageable with said commutator, the brushes of each set being arranged in successive order, and of diflerent polarities, a positive lead terminal fixed in a position midway between said brush-sets, a negative lead terminal fixed in a position diametrically opposite to the first terminal, hair-pin shaped flexible leads connecting each terminal with one brush 0! each set oi brushes, means for pivotally mounting each set of brushes for movement about diametrically opposed pivot pins, electromagnetic means individual to each set of brushes for swinging said brushes about said pins, in one direction, and resilient means coiled about said pins to the opposite direction.

ROMEO M. NARDONE. 

